Saturday, November 7, 2009

How Long?


District champion is an impressive spot to hold.  Even more so, undefeated district champion.  Take that even further- three time, undefeated, district champions.  Wow.  Think back- 2007, Holy Redeemer first comes into existence.  A lot of the athletic teams struggled, getting used to new coaches, personnel, and traditions.  In the midst of all that, girl's volleyball gave HR it's first district championship.  2008- After graduating 12 seniors, expectations are lowered for the girl's team.  They answer by repeating as district champions, again undefeated.  Which brings us to 2009.  Critics said "you can't lose Brianna Dugas and expect to repeat".  Actually, I can't back that up- Brianna shared with me that she misses being on FotoFink, so I thought I'd throw her name in the mix.  You're welcome Bri.  In all seriousness though- sooner or later, this run had to end.  Even the Flyer's in the 70's couldn't manage the "Hat Trick in '76", and we all know that they were the greatest sports dynasty ever.  (I can't back that up either, but I'd welcome the opportunity to argue the point.)  These girls, however, suffered no such lapse.  You know- you were there.  The only question that remains is how long can this continue?

Just a brief blog post for this- too much to do.

Game pics are here.

FotoFink is here.

Enjoy!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Birthday


Coughlin soccer continued it's winning ways on Tuesday night, but since it's now Thursday, the game is old news.  At the risk of hijacking this post, I am going to put some focus (get it) on what is truly important- FotoFink.  I kid, of course, but the truth is, I can't come up with anything terribly prophetic to say about the game- It wasn't close, it ended as we all expected and hoped, and Thursday's challenge is suddenly much more important.

On the other hand, Wednesday was the one year anniversary (Birthday) of this blog becoming part of the FotoFink stable, so therein lies a topic.  Prior to the blog, my comments were blissfully brief, and on the same page with all of the pictures.  Any thoughts on individual shots were buried in the galleries, seen only by a few careful readers.  The blog has provided a bigger platform for my rants, and some of you have actually told me that you enjoy reading it.  There is, as they say, no accounting for taste.

Anyway- good or bad, I now get to be (have to be) more wordy in my intros.  If my thoughts bore you, the links are always at the bottom of the post to take you away- or you can go to the site directly to experience the visual goodness.  Some of you seem happy about the blog birthday though- let's have a look at how you all celebrated-

Jake says I'm number one.  I'll agree.

The team got so excited that they lifted Jordan up so he could see over the crowd.  Reminded me of this-
(That was a little....  Offside.  Hopefully taken as it was meant- all in good fun)

Tim heard the news, and first go so excited that he kneed Jordan.  Then he started channeling Michael Jackson.

Later in the game, Jake changed his mind, and decided we were number 2.  Or maybe he's just saying- "I can't wait to celebrate your 2nd birthday"  That must be it.

Jordan (again- this kid gets more face-time than Barack) and Brian shared a tender moment in front of the port-o-potties.

Clearly everyone celebrated in their own ways.  Here at the cozy mountain retreat, it was a quiet evening on the sofa.

Thanks, as always, for the support you folks have shown through the season.  Believe me when I say that there is far too much time and effort involved in this for it to be about the money that is involved.  The truth is, I like doing this, and I get a charge out of thinking that you enjoy the results.  Remember, we are still lining up teams for the winter and spring seasons, Coughlin Volleyball already has a spot.

One more time-

Game pictures

FotoFink pictures

Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Time To Go Home


Championship games are special.  HR Jr High field hockey found themselves in one, after a stellar season.  One more game, one more win and they would end their season as champions.  Unfortunately for the Royals, Crestwood came to Scouten Lee with the same objective.  In a game that was filled with chances, Crestwood emerged with a 1-0 victory, and after that bitter pill , the Royals found that it was time to go home.

I'm really not happy with that link, but it was the best I could find.  Time To Go Home is a track from Don't Stop the Carnival, an album by Jimmy Buffett which is actually the score to a musical created that was based on the Herman Wouk novel.  I prefer the Buffett version, but was unable to find it anywhere.  At this point in the story, the main character, Norman Paperman (great name) has given up his mid-life crisis dream of running an island resort hotel and is returning home to NYC.  On Tuesday, the Royals saw their dream of a championship fade, and now that the season is over, it's time for us to go home.

A few quick thoughts-

I have little experience with this sport, or these teams.  I don't think I am going too far out on a limb to say, however, that this was round one.  These teams, these girls, will be playing each other for the next several years- Give Crestwood their due for winning this year, but it is far too early to crown a true champion.  Stay tuned.

Speaking of island resorts, how about these glasses?  Looks like she is ready for the beach.

When you play this hard, losing is not easy.

Another thank you to all who have bought some photos.  Your support is truly heartwarming.  Remember, I am still taking suggestions for some winter sports teams to shoot.  Contact me at sfinkernagel@hotmail.com if you have any suggestions.

Game

Site

Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Tusk

Tusk was the title track of one of Fleetwood Mac's more interesting efforts.  After the phenomenal success of Rumors, Tusk was released to great expectations, and for many it didn't live up.  For me, Tusk was good, but too long.  If you took all the weird stuff off, and released just a single album instead of the two album set, it would have been stronger.  What does this have to do with anything?  Little really, other than the fact that Fleetwood Mac used the USC marching band to record the track, and this post is going to be about another marching band, Greater Nanticoke Area.

First, a disclaimer.  I don't have the talent to play an instrument.  Humming and whistling are a challenge for me, and my family usually requests that I get out of the car once I start either.  I also lack the self confidence to perform in front of a group.  As a result, I have tremendous respect for these young men and women who choose to do both of those things every weekend.  I think it is great that a school, or football game, provides a venue for them to showcase their talents, even though it is not my particular "thing".  I am about to have some fun at their expense, but my comments are meant to be nothing more than humorous observations about their Halloween show, and should not reflect poorly on them or the members of any band, any where.  If you are easily offended, do us both a favor- click here and don't look back.

In case you missed it, Nanticoke provided the halftime entertainment at last weekend's football game.  Since it was Halloween, they spiced up their show by performing in costume, which, for me anyway, was a stroke of genius.  I thought the show was for more interesting this way, and took lots more pictures of it than I would have otherwise.  Some costumes were great, others were less so.  I was so moved that I wanted to devote some space on the blog to provide my thoughts and opinions on many of the outfits.  I'll grade each one, feel free to leave some comments below to add your ideas as well-

Pumpkin Boy- Remember when you were a kid, trick-or-treating?  At some point, your friends stopped buying the costumes in the boxes with the plastic masks and started making their own, and suddenly everyone was a bum for Halloween.  Except there was always one kid who didn't quite keep up with the trend.  He came out wearing the properly flame-retardant Aqua-man costume, along with the mask with the rubber string stapled to it.  He grew up a lot that night, and vowed to pay more attention in the future.  This costume reminds me of that.  It's well executed, but just seems a little "pre-fab" compared to the others.  I'll give it a C.
 
Bee Girl-  This is one of my favorites.This brought back memories of this video, and perhaps even better, this skit from back in the glory days of SNL.  I remember funnier bits with the bees, but that's the only one I could find online.  I lost a few minutes of my life exploring the other links on that page too.  Anyway, Bee Girl is simple, effective, brings back fond memories.  It's perhaps slightly impractical to be sleeveless this time of year, but she toughed it out for the show.  For me, this is an A.

 NYFD-  I'm not sure about this one.  It looks to me like she pulled on last night's clothes, then donned the headgear to call it a costume.  It's practical, since she can dress for the weather, but I am not sure I am sold.  I think I need something else on the bottom- the fireman's trenchcoat maybe.  As is, I have to give it a C.
 Fishnet Flapper-  I have very little to be sad about in my life, but one thing that bothers me every year at this time is a trend in costumes that started too late for my benefit.  Somewhere in the last few decades, Halloween became an excuse for girls to wear much more provocative outfits than they usually do.  This girl looks nice, mind you, there is nothing scandalous here- but fishnet stockings and a short, off-the-shoulder dress all kind of lean in that direction.  Surf around facebook for the pictures from Halloween parties to see what I mean.  Back in my day (I hate saying that), girls didn't get quite so "into the spirit".  For obvious, but non-lecherous reasons, this gets an A.
Raggedy Ann- I like this one.  It's cute and very clear as far as what she is supposed to be.  It could have been even better if they had talked one of the guys into being Raggedy Andy, but I wouldn't have done it, so I can't really fault anyone for that.  The track shoes kind of ruin it, but then again, so does the clarinet.  A nice effort, I'll give it a B.
Pirate?-  The biggest problem I have with this one is that I am not quite sure what it is.  she looks kind of pirate-y, with the puffy shirt (Seinfeld reference) and the tattered dress.  Apparently, she's keelhauled Waldo and used his famous shirt as a sash, and while I like the stockings, I am not sure they are in keeping with the costume.  I have to go with a C, just because of the uncertainty.
Army Guy-  Not much wrong with this one.  Simple, effective, weather appropriate.  If I look very carefully, I am not sure that the tops match the bottoms, but maybe that's part of camouflage that is lost on me.  I can't tell your rank, and I don't know if it is protocol, but I salute you with an A.  I may be grading these too easily, but I think there are harsher ones coming.
Poodle Skirt/Sock Hop Girl-  Outstanding.  Brings back memories of Laverne and Shirley, and in fact had me looking for the "L" sewn on the shirt.  This was an era that was actually before my time, but it this outfit looks authentic to me, without being "out of a box".  The glasses seem kind of modern, but a girl has to see after all.  Another A.
Marilyn-  I have to give this girl high marks just for trying this, but for me, it misses.   Again, this was before my time, but from what I've seen, there was a lot more to Marilyn Monroe than a dress that gets blown up by a passing subway train.  Most women on the planet can't do justice to this particular icon, so in my mind we are all better off not even trying.  Hard to grade this one, because expectations are so high- I'll give it a B, awarding extra points for the difficulty of the task.
Little Drummer Ghoul-  There is a basic problem here that has little to do with the costume.  It has to be hard to look cool when you are wearing that chest brace/drum set thing that looks more like some sort of adaptive posture corrector.  Beyond that, however, there really isn't much to the costume.  There are kids with more scary outfits hanging around the food court entrance to the mall every weekend.  This one misses- I say D.
Geisha-  I know they can't all be favorites, but wow- this one is good!  Something about her just "looks the part" in this costume- I'll guess that it's the extras besides the robe-  Her dark hair, the little sticks in her head (Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents) all add a little something that makes this convincing.  Clearly an A.
Gangster Drummer-  First the good- I am so pleased that this young man thought gangster and went to the "Al Capone Prohibition" era instead of going to the "Snoop Dog Gansta" era.  That's probably not a good reference, but I am not hip enough to know better.  Just realize that in almost all cases, gangster > gangsta.  Beyond that, however, there are some issues here.  Again, the drum set makes him look like he is on his way to adaptive PE, and the Indiana Jones hat is a little off-theme.  Give this a B.
Royal Trumpeter-  Finkernagel's rule- If you have to explain what you are, it's not an effective costume.  There's a crown, so we assume he is some sort of royalty.  The purple tunic might also lead us down that path,  but nylon sweats?  Looks like we gave up too early while creating this one.  D.
Friar Trumpet-  I wish this picture was more crisp, because I like this costume.  Again, it's the little things- he could have stopped with the robe, but add on the cross pendant and the caveman wig, and now you have it going on.  Here's a well deserved A.
Goblin Girl-  I have to be honest here- It was this outfit that got me thinking about writing this whole post.  Let's look carefully at this.  I assumed goblin, because really, who knows what a goblin looks like anyway?  This could be it- but I am pretty sure we are in violation of Finkernagel's rule with this one.  I'm confused-  Is the red sweatshirt part of the outfit, or just for warmth?  What's with the black one tied around the waist?  The best part of this, for me anyway, is not so obvious.  This girl was marching around, obviously with a place and purpose as the band performed.  She was right in between the clarinets and the drums.  Does anyone else see a problem here?  How about the fact that her only instrument seems to be her hands making that farting noise when you squeeze them together?  I'm so confused, but I'll give this a B since it provided so much inspiration.
Purple-Fringed Wicked Witch of the West-  I am guessing again on this one.  Good outfit in that she looks Halloweeny, but there is no clear message as to what she's supposed to be.  The leggings remind me of the scene in the Wizard of Oz where the witch is crushed, so I went that route.  Bottom line- I shouldn't have to work that hard to interpret a costume.  This is a C.
Joe Cool Wig Guy-  One of the best parts of this blog is that I don't have to explain myself to anyone.  I know that this is breaking the aforementioned Finkernagel's rule, but I don't care.  I like this one, I think because it actually seems to incorporate the instrument into the costume.  I also used to have a chair that was upholstered in a similar fabric to that shirt.  Whatever the reason, this is an A for me.
Queen Witch-  Here's another that I can't quite define, but I like anyway.  Black lace, red satin, bat(?) in her hair- I guess what helps here are the details- she is totally in costume.  Feeling generous, this is another A.
????-  "Mom- Did I forget to tell you that we need a costume for band today?"  Grade- Incomplete.   See me after class for some make-up work if you expect to pass.
Roller Derby Queen & Trenchcoat Guy-  Huge violations of Finkernagel's rule, and I can't find anything that redeems these costumes.  I'm giving her roller derby queen, because I just don't know where else to go with that, and trenchcoat guy isn't really a costume or character (remember Adam Sandler's "Crazy Spoon Head" bit?) but again- it seems like they have to be called something.  A pair of D's.
Mohawk Green Grass Gaiter Guy-  This one violates every rule I have- We have no clue who he's supposed to be, jeans and a dress shirt make it look incomplete, yellow mohawk and two different shades of green accessories make it look like this stuff was all he could find in the basement.  I don't care.  It's one of my favorites anyway, and it gets an A.
Italian Restaurant Tablecloth Girl-  I know that it is almost November when this was taken, so it's a little chilly.  In spite of that, some of your bandmates are out there in sleeveless dresses, bearing the cold for the sake of the performance.  With the jacket on, I can't tell what this is supposed to be- maybe the single-mom waitress costume?  Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz?  We can't grade what we can't see-  Incomplete.
Football/Rugby/Soccer Girl-  Remember the disclaimer from earlier?  Good.  Here's more.  I know and truly believe that all women are beautiful, and this girl is no exception.  Judging from the fact that she is carrying 2 instruments, I am going to say that she has even more talent than most of the performers on the field.  I would be proud to be able get to know this girl, as should any of us.  OK?  All that aside, this is not a flattering costume.  This is not her fault in any way, in fact, I am going to go off the board here for a moment and place the blame on whoever supervises this event.  Surely there is a director/moderator/parent or someone who approved all of these costumes (or else everyone would have used a sheet to become a ghost).  They should have suggested an alternative before this got all the way out to the 50 yard line.  I am giving her an A, because Mrs. FotoFink was a flautist in her day, and because I like Jethro Tull.
Flapper/Pea Coat Girl-  There's too much conflict here- The tiara and the fringe skirt all say flapper, but the pea coat says sailor.  If the coat is for the cold, then again- Can't grade what we can't see.  If it's part of the outfit, I'm lost.  Not sure where to go with this one, call it a C.
Shoulder Pad Xylophone Girl-  More confusion here, but in her defense, this is not a good angle for the picture and I didn't get a clear look at here at the game.  Still, I have no ideas as to what this is- an alien?  That spiderman villian with the bubble head?  A C is a gift here.
Finally-  I know we already saw this girl, but what is she doing now?  It looks like she has one of those pool cleaning poles- this isn't clearing up the costume at all....
Well there you have it- FotoFink's review of the halftime festivities.  There is a gallery set up with all these pictures and more on the site.  They are all right-clickable so they can be downloaded if you wish- they seemed too fun not to share.  Remember that any negative comments were directed at the costumes, not the performers, and take note that everyone passed.  In truth, the efforts of the band resulted in the most entertaining show I have seen this year, so thanks to all who participated.  Please leave some thoughts of your own here on the blog.  There's a link to click somewhere that lets you do that.  Happy Halloween!

Something Fine


Saturday proved to be a busy day on the football field- Aside from Halloween festivities, (more on that in another post), a postponed homecoming ceremony, senior day events, there was a football game thrown in for grins.  Adding to the excitement, the Royals managed a convincing victory, ensuring that the day was filled with something fine.

This post will be short, because there is a very slim chance that FotoFink could be completely caught up for a few hours if I can get back to some editing, so here are a few brief thoughts on the day-

First off, the halftime show was so intriguing, I am planning a separate post for those pictures and comments.  Stay tuned for that, trust me.

I didn't really get good shots of the pre-game goings on- I actually expected more of that at halftime, so I was grossly late and out of position.  I did what I could from the wrong side of the field.  I did notice about 60 people with cameras in the stands for all of that, so I am sure those pictures are available somewhere.

He's still the coolest.

I don't know about anyone else, but every time I see this, I am reminded of this.

The paper talked about a play where Zach was "so wide open the closest people to him were two paramedics sitting on the rear bumper of an ambulance".  I disagree.  I was closer.

This picture requires a little explanation.  While I was walking along the sidelines, I glanced down at these cards, and noticed what they were- Cue cards.  For the Nanticoke cheerleaders.  The top one said, in big letters.... "Let's Go Trojans".  I am sure that there are lots of things about cheerleading that are hard, but is remembering that line really one of them?

Something interesting is going to happen as a result of that last paragraph.  You may have noticed some ads on the side of the blog pages- google runs them, and they are supposed to send me some compensation based on traffic on the site.  So far, I've qualified for a grand total of.....  $0.  That's about what I expected- this isn't Amazon.com after all.  The funny thing is that the ads are generated based on the language used in the posts.  Naming Nanticoke's mascot, (or North Pocono's) usually results in a rash of condom ads.  Before the church comes after me with torches burning, I thought it best to explain.

Ok-  It's late, and the Phillies have gotten up off the mat and forced a game 6.  Time to wrap this up.

Game pics are here.

FotoFink is here.

Enjoy!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Who'll Stop The Rain


Weather forced the postponement of several events last week, including the district championship cross country meet (meet?  match?  race?  Can anyone help me out here?).  Marginal conditions prevailed on the raindate, leaving all of us wondering, who'll stop the rain?

It turned out that no one stopped the rain.  The race went on in spite of the wet day, leading to an especially interesting day for pictures.

Cross country is a new sport here at FotoFink, and after witnessing a race, there is a new found respect for these athletes.  A course of over three miles, up and down hills, through the poor weather- this was a brutal test of endurance for the competitors.  The emotion and exhaustion at the finish line was incredibly raw- runners skidding and falling into the muddy mess, finishing without shoes, even losing their last meal as they crossed the finish.  Not for the timid.

As a newbie to this event, I was anxious to learn more about the inner workings.  Thankfully, I was able to pick up some technical terms during the day.  Waiting near the finish line, I overheard the organizers searching for the "thingy" before the boys crossed.  They never found it, but my curiosity was piqued- What was this coveted item?  Thankfully, they found it for the girl's finish and all was well.

Our staff made a valiant effort to name all of the participants, but you will notice a few without tags in the gallery.  Please accept apologies- If you can comment and leave some names, I'll try to add some keywords so that searching will work.

This picture is kind of interesting, but if you have any interest in purchasing it, you will need to contact me directly (sfinkernagel@hotmail.com).  Smugmug doesn't have a good option for that size print, but I can find another lab that does.  It's a composite of several shots, so it will look good up to some really large sizes- 36 inches & larger if you'd like.

Lastly, I only know a few of you who have athletes in this sport.  Any way that you can spread the word to the people who will want to see these pictures will be appreciated.

I'll stop here, as this is the third blog entry on the day for me.

Event pictures are here.

FotoFink is here.

Enjoy!

Before The Deluge


Coughlin's playoff run began last week with match against Pittston Area, and the Crusaders took an important first step to the district title by dispatching the visitors by a 6-2 final score.  The venue for this match was up in the air until gameday, as the Bog was swept before the deluge on the original matchday, and apparently barely dried out in time for the make-up.  It's a safe bet that weather will factor into all of the games from here on out, which should keep things interesting.

Every win is important at this time of year, especially for this team- which should have lofty goals of at least district glory.  Tuesday will provide the chance to take another step, with a semi-final match against Western Wayne.  Eventually, you have to play the best teams to win the district, but Coughlin's hard work to get the number one seed is paying off here- that other side of the bracket looks nasty.

Regular readers will notice that things are a little backed up here in FF land, so the smart-assed comments will be kept to a minimum today-

I left a little extra room while cropping this shot, because of the beautiful car in the background.  Who is lucky enough to drive such a wonderful vehicle?  (note- It's mine.  If anyone buys that picture, feel free to crop it out on your own)

Tim seems to be checking his shirt for freshness here.  I know that's always important to me as well.

See- minimal comments.  Here's the skinny-

Game pictures

FotoFink pictures

Enjoy!

Still Fighting It


This time of year, the number of active teams here at FotoFink begin to dwindle.  Regular seasons end, playoff runs take teams out of reasonable travel distance, and staffers here are left with fewer and fewer options for pictures.  Thankfully, horizons can be broadened.  Over the last season, we have tried to include the HR Jr High field hockey team in our pages here, but there was always one conflict or another (usually three of four, as most of their games were on soccer/work days).  Luckily for everyone, their season lives on, as they are still fighting it at the time of this writing.

Yes, there are some CD's mixed in to my "conversion to portable" music project, not all of the references will be three or four decades old.  Just the good ones.

Back to the subject, the younger version of Royals Field Hockey showed great promise for the future of the program- not just on this day with a convincing win, but all season where they have been undefeated thus far.  Rumor has it that their next outing is on Tuesday 11/3 at Scouten Lee Park (Just a quick stagger down the street from Cafe 99), I am sure all support is appreciated.  I can only call this a rumor at this point, because someone has stopped updating their website....

The link to the gallery is below- but as always, I need to stretch things out with some thoughts on the process-

Providing rosters online has been a godsend here at FF.  Usually by the end of a season, naming players in photos is ridiculously easy- Even without seeing faces or numbers, I know that Lauren B's cleats are gray, and Ashley's are black- so picking them, or most players, out of a crowd is simple.  For this game, things were more complicated.  First off- this was my first time seeing most of these girls, on the field or off- so there was no "instant recognition" of any of them.  Mrs. FotoFink, who is usually a big help in that area, had the same handicap in this case, since none of these girls have been in her class yet either.  At least I have the online roster.  Except....  look carefully at that roster, and notice that there are two number 17's , and two number 18's.  Someone needs to review the reasons we have numbers on jerseys.

Relax Mary- It's just a lollipop.

I'm new to this, but this may be the nicest save I have seen.

Now that it has been explained to me, I love the ball carry thing.  Easily my favorite tradition of this sport so far.

It's a good sign when players can't get enough of their sport.  I look forward to a time when these girls are on the field with some of the younger ones.  Look out.

Here's what you came for-

Game pics

FotoFink

Enjoy!

Friday, October 30, 2009

New Beginning


It is a certainty in sports that all seasons end.  For a team without playoff opportunities, the timing of the end is known in advance.  For teams that make playoffs, the end usually comes with a loss, and is usually hard to swallow.  Both of these points held true for the Lady Royals on Tuesday, as they dropped an overtime thriller to Tunkhannock by a 1-0 margin. 

Although I am far from an expert in Field Hockey (really, really far) this game didn't seem to be headed towards this ending.  HR seemed to control most of the play through regulation, but just couldn't finish.  I was attempting to get pictures of Courtney, our goalie, and found that there were very few times that the ball was near her.  As the game headed to overtime, it felt like another day at the office for the Royals- they'd been to OT six times during the year, winning five of them.  This looked to be just one more.  To my surprise, it was Tunkhannock who capitalized on an opportunity in extra time, and ended HR's season with a jolt.

I know what you are all thinking- all this talk about ending, how is he going to wrap this around to a New Beginning?  Thanks for asking-


It didn't take long for me to get an impression of this team this year.  I had been to only a few Field Hockey games before this, but even I could tell that there was something afoot here.  After a one-win season last year, this team started out with a new coaching staff, some new players (thanks to transfers and graduations from 8th grade) and a new attitude.  As much as this season is over, I sense that this season was just the first step of  a new beginning, one where Redeemer competes at the top of this conference instead of the bottom.  Time will tell.


For now, the senior girls enjoyed more success than their prior class did.  The younger girls have a lot to look forward to, including some off-season training.  Tunkhannock earned the right to be Lehman's first step towards greatness (How about that article, and the line about the Lehman goalie who should have brought her homework to the game!  Judging from the comments, the Tunkhannock parents were not so amused).  Perhaps most importantly, we all have time now to support the 7th & 8th grade team, which is making a deep run into their post-season.


A few quick thoughts-


This game was sloppy- not so much from a skill standpoint, but from a dirty muddy mess standpoint.  That makes for more interesting pictures though.  It also makes it a really bad day to lose a shoe.


Fittingly, I am able to close out this season with yet another unflattering picture of Kelly Dougherty.  I promise that I am not trying, but it's becoming amusing.  To me anyway.  Hopefully Kelly is on board with that too-  we all have our moments.


I am not so sure that I would call it unflattering, but let's just hope that this is not Allie's best side...


If there was ever any doubt that these girls play hard (there wasn't) these pictures ought to cast that aside- have a look at Marnie and Ashley in those shots.


Someday, the alien mothership is going to land, and come across a field hockey goalie.  This should be enough for them to turn around and pick another planet to invade.


Finally, a word of thanks.  I am grateful for the warm welcome this team has provided me, and the support that you have shown here by buying pictures.  Shooting the games, and getting to know some of you has been a lot of fun for me, and I hope you are all happy with the way things worked out.  In addition to some picture sales, I have also come to enjoy a new appreciation of this sport.  Next season we work on the rules....


Game pics are here.


FotoFink is here.


Enjoy!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Is That You, Mo-Dean?


Thanks to an interesting chain of events, the ever-expanding world of FotoFink now includes 2 USTA girls travel soccer teams, which our staff had the pleasure of shooting this past weekend.  Since many of you may be visiting for the first time, this will be a quick primer on what's happening here.

FotoFink is a website that is used to show and sell photos, mostly of youth sports from here in the Wyoming Valley.  There is a little more background available at the FAQ page, which you can also access from many pages on the site itself.  You are now reading the companion blog, where I get to introduce the photos and share some thoughts about the process.  After my rants, there are links at the bottom to the galleries themselves, which is where you can view, share, and purchase photos.

First off, thanks need to go out to Sam Falcone for helping to set this up.  I usually don't take pictures anywhere that I am not invited, and he was kind enough to invite me, and promote the site to the rest of the parents.  Hopefully this will be good for everyone.  I got to spend a sunny day outdoors shooting soccer, so I'm already happy.

Many of you may want to narrow down the number of photos to just see your favorite player, so on the site,  there is a search box on each page where you can type your player's first name.  In theory, this will take you to a group of photos that only include that player.  Realistically, you are better off paging through the whole gallery and looking for yourself.  Tagging the photos with the player's names is not as easy as it sounds- especially in the U14 game.  Consider that there is no number on the front of those uniforms, there are some numbers on the shorts (but it turns out they are from the U15 game and don't match up), and some of the numbers are not on the roster at all- you can imagine the task of trying to figure out who is who.  It left me wondering, is that you Mo-Dean? for many of the girls.  Long story short- page through to find your players.  Don't trust the search box.

The music links are a long story- if you care, you can read some older posts to get a feel for what that's all about.  If you don't care, then  well....  just pretend it didn't happen.

I did my best to include everyone, but I am not sure how well that worked out.  With over 500 pictures from the 2 games, I' like to think that the law of averages will work out to see that everyone is included, but I missed someone, please accept my apology and know that it was unintentional.  If the response is strong, perhaps another game will be in the future.  Let me know if you feel slighted, I'll try to make it up.

Ok- enough from me.  If you have questions, start at the FAQ page.  If you still have questions, contact me at sfinkernagel@hotmail.com.  Here are the galleries- I hope you enjoy them!

USTA U15G V Souderton

USTA U14G V Northwestern

All of FotoFink

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Back In The Saddle


Blog watchers may have noticed an extended absence from posting lately- rest assured that all is well.  Things are a little too busy here in the land of FotoFink- most of our favorite teams had requested staff members for their senior night galas, and with seasons coming to a close, there is always that push to get "just one more game" in the archives.  To make a long story short- the backlog of photos to edit has been staggering.  With so much photoshop work to do, spending time on a blog entry seemed frivolous.

So now that the blog is updating, FotoFink is back in the saddle, (nice camera work on that link, eh?) can we assume that things are caught up?  Of course not- It's playoff time!  A quick update seems appropriate now, however, just to keep the world spinning on it's axis for a few more days.

You may wonder about the picture above, so here's an explanation- Since this post encompasses so many games, it seemed unfair to include any one as the lead photo- so here was a chance to do something a little different.   My observation, after taking a lot of your senior night pictures, is that as a rule, cheerleaders make pictures better.  Lets hope the same holds true for blog entries.

In the spirit of brevity- I'll make a few general points and then link to lots of new galleries-

First, in case I haven't said it enough, thanks for all of your support of this project.  Sales are coming in at a record pace, and I am hearing lots of positive comments when I see you all on the sidelines.  This hobby/obsession/business is something I enjoy, and it is nice to feel that you all do too.

Second, as the playoffs progress, rest assured I will do whatever I can to make as many of your games as possible.  Time, work, conflicting game schedules, games in far-off places all add some difficulty to that, but I have come to enjoy being at your games and watching your teams compete.  Hopefully that will continue for a while for most of you.

Third, with the fall seasons wrapping up, thoughts are turning to winter sports.  The strategy that I had this fall seemed to work well- Target a handful of teams that are interested in pictures, and make sure to get to enough of their games to get most/all of the players.  This fall, those teams were HR, Coughlin, and Crestwood Soccer, HR Field Hockey, HR Football, and HR Volleyball.  I'd like to employ a similar strategy this winter.  I have some ties to Holy Redeemer, so I am sure I will make some of their basketball games, but other than that-  I am open for suggestions.  If you have players at a particular sport or event that you would like to see enshrined here at FF, please contact me (sfinkernagel@hotmail.com).  I am open to all suggestions- If you think you'll buy 'em, I'll snap 'em.  School stuff, Travel teams, Dome games- whatever.

Lastly, as Christmas approaches, I have historically gotten a lot of requests for the collage-type posters that are on the site.  I only do these by request, because of the time and effort involved, so if you have interest, contact me (sfinkernagel@hotmail.com).  The earlier the better.  Here is a link to an entry I made last year that provides some pricing and info.  This link will take you to some examples of what can be done.

Too much time for me on this already-  Here are all the galleries posted since the last entry-

Coughlin Soccer Senior Night

Soccer- Redeemer at Coughlin


Redeemer Field Hockey Senior Night 

Field hockey- Pittston at Redeemer

Redeemer Soccer Senior Night

Soccer- Tunkhannock at Redeemer

Crestwood Soccer Senior Night

Soccer- Dallas at Crestwood

Wow.  All that and I am still behind.

Wanted- Photo assistant for growing online photo business.  Duties include- traveling to fields that teams seem determined to keep hidden, taking pictures in the heat, cold, rain, bugs, and dark.  Once taken, pictures need to be individually cropped, color corrected, sharpened, labeled and posted.  Hours are long, pay is minimal.  Rewards come from bringing joy to others.  Inquire within.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Melissa


Regular readers will know that volleyball has a special place here at FotoFink.  Two of my sons played, so I became a bit of a fan (although I still don't understand all the rules), and from a photographic standpoint, dark gyms and fast action present challenges that I have come to enjoy.  Knowing all this, it is no surprise really that our staff was out shooting the HoRe/DeVa volleyball match- two undefeated teams, nearing the end of the season, this was as big as they come in that regard.  What might be surprising though, is why this post is titled for one of the opponents players?  Who is this Melissa?

There are two reasons, really.  First, in keeping with my theme of post titles that match my analog-to-digital music conversion project, it give me a chance to throw in some Allman Brothers.  That's never a bad idea.  Second, in watching this game, there was something strangely familiar about #6, but I couldn't quite put a finger on it.  Then it hit me.  This past spring, at the boy's match, DeVa brought a line judge that caught the attention of all the healthy young males on the squad (Check out the 5th paragraph on this entry for my comments at the time).  This line judge was, of course, Melissa, now returning in an arguably more important role.  After such an important mental victory for me, I had to include a reference here.

Many of you already know how the game went- The Lady Royals swept the best-of-five match in three straight to put them solely in first place with just a few games remaining.  This looks to be a strong year for the girls, so an extended season seem likely.  The girls clearly have high expectations, as the celebration for this victory was about as exciting as watching the snow fall.  I'll say that the muted response is actually a good thing- this was just another day at the office for a very good team.  There will be plenty of excitement ahead.

Judging from the stands, these girls have caught the eye of lots of the Royal faithful.  It's especially exciting when the letters come out.  One idea- next time, give the S to Olivia Z, or someone in the same row as the rest of the word.  At least Mr. Booth was there this time to check the spelling.

Diesel is clearly impressed.

I took this shot to make a point, but then I got too excited while I was cropping it and spoiled it- I'll try to save it here.  What you can't see is the point total for HR- at this moment it was seven, although when I first turned to take the shot it was six.  What you can see it the number of kills for Monica- five.  Of the first six points, Monica had five of them from kills.  That's impressive.  Most of the better teams will do some scouting before the match, but really, everyone in the room knows where this set is going.  It's a credit to Monica and this team that opponents just can't seem to stop it.

I haven't been able to get as many shots of Alyssa as I would have liked so far this season, but I made up some ground at this match.  I even managed to get Mom in the blurred out background of this shot.  I think I also wrenched my arm patting myself on the back for it.

Here's the good stuff-

Game Pictures.

All the Pictures.

Enjoy!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Turn It On Again


At this level of sports, having a good team is about half of the challenge.  The other half is consistency.  These athletes are still adolescents- their heads are not always in the game.  What will separate the good from the great is the ability to repeat results, time and time again.  Considering the respective records, and Valley West on the schedule for Friday, it would have been easy for Coughlin to overlook Sem on Wednesday- this was a classic "trap" game in the making.  Instead, Coughlin was able to turn it on again, scoring early and never really letting Sem get into the game, ending up with a 4-1 victory.

Phil Collins looked pretty shabby in that video, so I went off in search of another- I think this one is even worse.

Some thoughts-

There's no significance to the first picture in the galley- This year, they are pretty much displayed in chronological order.  It is a little odd for the opening shot to be of a spectator though.  This was actually just a test shot to get the camera set up properly, but I thought it worthy of display.

Not only does this player have 2 first names, they are an alliteration (Mrs. FotoFink is an english teacher- she taught me that).  I am quite sure that somewhere I have mislabeled Jason as John.  Or is it John as Jason?  Search for both to be safe.

This is not quite "Separated at Birth" material, but I liked it anyway-  Doesn't this remind you of this?

He's not heading this ball, it has slipped through his hands.  Sem was able to clear it away safely though.

Spectators in cars fascinate me.  Is it really that much effort to park and get out?  Drive-though banks, food, pharmacies...  now soccer matches.  Back in the old days it wasn't like this.....

Some players just love the puffy cheeks.

On a more serious note, soccer fans across the US were saddened on Tuesday to hear of the car accident and resulting injuries to US Men's National Team standout Charlie Davies.  (Not my picture, by the way.  If it were, the contrast would be better and there would be less motion blur at his feet)  Charlie's injuries are apparently not life-threatening, but could be career ending.  This news tempered the celebration of last night's draw with Costa Rica, which clinched the top spot in CONCACAF for the US team.  On to South Africa next June!

Schedule constraints pulled me away from the match a little early, so it is a slightly smaller batch of photos than usual, and no JV.  I'll be back on Monday though.

Match pictures

Tons o' pictures

Enjoy! 

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Only Time Will Tell


A chilly Columbus Day Monday brought our staff to Hazleton for a mid-day field hockey match between the HR Lady Royals and the Hazleton Lady Cougars (Modern-day slang has a whole new meaning on that.  I wonder if there will ever be pressure to change that to something more PC....).  For a change, the Lady Royals stayed in control for the entire match, no drama, no OT, just a convincing 4-0 victory.

After seeing a few games, it seems like I should be able to pinpoint an identity for this team- but I can't.  Are they the under-achievers that opened the season 1-5?  Are they the "cardiac queens" that have taken 4 games to overtime (winning three)?  Or are they the dominant force that handled Hazleton with relative ease?  Only time will tell.

I actually had a couple of options for the link to the music in this post.  I prefer the Jimmy Buffett version, but I thought more of you may know the Asia song.  I probably should have just gone with my preference.

You may have noticed that I drew the attention of the ref at the game, as this time it was me who had to vacate the space behind the end line.  I feel the need to plead my case on this issue.  I have very few rules, but one that I am diligent about is that I never, ever say anything about the game while I am shooting it.  I don't talk to the ref, I don't cheer for the team, I don't address the players- ever.  I try to get into some places with the camera that most fans cannot, therefore I don't act like a fan- even though I am.  In this case, there was a comment from a spectator standing next to me- who felt that they had a much better understanding of the rules than the officials did.  No surprise- the official felt it necessary to flex a little muscle after the comment, and decided to enforce the "no spectators behind the end line" rule.   I was not specifically asked to leave, but really had no reason to make in issue of it.  I was planning to go to the sideline for the end of the game anyway.

Every game I shoot, I learn something about field hockey, but usually I am still ending up with more questions than answers-

I noted the ball carry in the last post- I still don't get it- if we are in the lead, what's the rush to restart?

This time, couldn't help but wonder about the masks on the Hazleton players.  I can understand the need for protection-  sticks & balls are hard, and it looks like they are both flying around an awful lot.  I can also understand not wanting to wear a mask-  I am sure it is uncomfortable, and I am not very vain, but c'mon....  So tell me Mr Whoopee- why did the Hazleton girls wear the masks, take them off, then put them back on again?  All the wardrobe changes seem confusing to me.  By the way, if you picked up on that reference before clicking the link, I am proud of you.  I was always felt that Go-Go Gophers were the better cartoon, but feel free to come chat about it sometime.

I am slipping a little in my quest to get pictures of Kelly in embarrassing positions- this was the best I had today.  I am hopeful she has a sense of humor about this.

It took me a while to ID this game's "pant-puller-upper".  Erica, who has a reputation for such things, is in the background, so I knew it wasn't her.  I couldn't see a number because of the sweatshirt, and obviously no face.  Finally the footwear gave it away as Melissa.

You can see from the fans that it was a little cold at the field- maybe even more than a little.  Notice that Ashley started with some under armor, then went bare-sleeved for the second half.  That's hardcore.

Here they are-

Game pictures

Entire site

Enjoy!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Good Stuff


There are lots of things going on right now that can be considered good stuff, although Saturday's final score may not be one of them.  Redeemer got close to Lehman before the half ended, but their hurry-up offense backfired when it left enough time on the clock for Lehman to tally again before the break.  The second half was forgettable for the Royals, but at least we got to see some players make appearances that ordinarily might not.  Anything that broadens the FotoFink galleries is good stuff.

So what else is good?  Well, the third daytime football game has led to a much larger number of higher quality shots than last season.  A long weekend has allowed me to get caught up on editing, and spend some time with the clan.  Sunday was filled with relaxation, football & baseball games, nachos & chicken wing dip.  But the best part.....

Some of you may know that I am a hockey fan.  I cut school in the 70's to see the Flyers victory parades.  I have season tickets to the Wilkes-Barre pens (section 105- come visit!).  Saturday was a give-away night at the arena- an NEPA sports map.  I had no idea what this was, but happened to be there in time to get one.  Imagine my surprise when Mrs. FF opened the poster-sized map and found our faces on the print!  At first glance, we appeared to be just faces in a crowd shot- but after more careful study, it was clear that this poster was primarily of us, and happened to have some other information about the Pens and other AHL teams on it.  The FotoFink legend continues to grow.  For fans that are interested, I'll be autographing copies in the concession area of the gym at the girl's volleyball game on Wednesday.  The nominal charge will be donated to..... me.  :)

Back to the game-

I am a little concerned that so many of my shots have other photographers in the backgrounds, because it probably means that one of us is in the wrong place.  Let's hope it's not me.

The stereotype that football players are not bright is clearly wrong.  These two can apparently count backwards-

Backgrounds can make or break a picture.  In our stadium, when the light is right, I can get some cool shots that include the HR logo behind the play.  There are quite a few in this gallery.  Looking back, maybe I overused the strategy in some cases.  Kind of like the QB keeper play.

Here's another interesting background.

Passionate fans make football games exciting.  I can't believe that she has much of a voice left after the games.

It's a little hard to tell, but that's a touchdown.  There are always highlights.

They are shaded, dry, have their own private concession stand nearby that serves alcohol, and they don't have to pay for admission.  I am thinking that these are the best seats ever.

There is just no one cooler.  No one.

Faces are hard to capture underneath helmets, but when you do- they are even better than backgrounds.

That's a wrap from me.

Game shots are here.

Whole site is here.

Enjoy!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Long Time


Lots of meaning to the title today, as first off, it took a long time to get these shots posted.  My apologies, as the "real job" took me on a road trip to Vestal NY on Friday, then hockey Friday night, football Saturday, hockey again on Friday......  no rest for the weary.

This game also took a long time.  100 minutes of soccer, and nobody scored.  Sometimes these scoreless draws are exciting, knowing that either team could tilt the game decisively at any moment.  This one, however, didn't seem to have a lot of that drama.  It felt more like 2 teams coasting into the latter part of the season.  That's easy to say from the sidelines, as I was not the "goalie du jour" leaping to make saves, I was not sacrificing my body to make plays, and I was not hustling to loose balls- but in general, it didn't feel like enough of the players were either.  Perhaps it is because the playoff fates for both teams are pretty much cast now, Sem will likely get the automatic berth for being the lone single A team in division 1, and Redeemer will likely be able to watch Sem's first round match.  Or perhaps it's because my heart is 2 sizes too small.  We may never know.

My friends at Sem have purchased some pictures in the past, so there are quite a few in this gallery devoted to them.  It looks like there has been a lot of turnover, so hopefully the remaining "old timers" can point the way to the new folks, so the FotoFink legend can grow.

Puffy cheeks.  Reminds me of a FotoFink favorite from years past.

Speaking of FotoFink favorites....

Sometimes, you meet a girl, get her number, and it's just too important to risk putting in your pocket with the red and yellow cards.

I can't blame her (him?).  It was hard to watch this game at times.

Considering the elbow room on the sidelines, any fans are welcome.  Especially so when they are alums.  Amanda is looking forward to the basketball season at Wilkes, Laura has taken some time out from the soccer schedule at Elizabethtown to help her mom run the sideline yoga class.

On to the football pics for me- for you-

Sem @ HR gallery is here.

FotoFink is here.

Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

On Top Of The World


Tuesday was a big day for the Lady Royals, as they hosted the Coughlin Crusaders for an afternoon of field hockey at Hollenback.  Before the match, Coughlin seemed to be a difficult challenge for HR- They are a division 1 team, with a winning record, and prior matches with teams of that level had generally not gone Redeemer's way.  After the Crusaders jumped out to a 2-0 lead, it looked to be a long day ahead for the Royal faithful.

Most of you probably know what happened next-  Redeemer tied the match at 2, went ahead 3-2, then gave up a goal to push the match to overtime.  It seems that the girls are determined to be the "Cardiac Queens" as this was the fourth time this season that a game would be decided in extra time.  Chances abounded in the extra frame, HR even had a goal disallowed before finally burying the game-winner.

The win brings the girls very close to .500 for the season, and perhaps more importantly, increases their hold on a playoff spot (I am guessing there.  PIAA's playoff voodoo is a bit of a mystery to me).  It also shows that the Royals can play with some of the top teams in the area.  As the picture above shows, this big win left the team On Top Of The World.

A few thoughts-

I understand this game only slightly.  Very slightly.  My observations then, are probably overly simplistic.  Here's what I picked up on Tuesday-

The ball carry.  I know this happens in soccer, usually when a team is behind and wants to restart as soon as possible after a goal is scored.  Instead of waiting for the leading team to lazily bring the ball back to midfield, thereby wasting precious time, the trailing team will grab the ball, run it back, and force the game to start sooner.  It seemed like every goal was handled this way on Tuesday, with no regard to who was ahead at the time.  Are these girls just that courteous?

I am not sure why this gentleman was asked to move- perhaps he had something to do with an orange ball?

I am getting a lot of intense face shots during the downtime of each game.  I think that the mouthguard actually makes a face look more determined.  Not to say that the girls are not determined anyway, of course....

What do you think the guy in the Ryan Howard jersey is doing?

Don't adjust your monitor- the blurry look to this shot is because it was through the net.  That's about as creative as I get.

As usual, I managed to catch Kelly in an embarrassing moment- This time I got Marilyn too though.

Speaking of Marilyn-  No fair changing your jersey number without notifying our staff...  I thought it was odd that I had so many photos of Lauren all of a sudden.

Everyone will remember the game-winning goal in OT, but lets not forget, this save was just as critical to the victory.

I guess the swine flu fear is over.

Credit the paper today for choosing this game for the lead article (in the online version anyway).  I thought I was going to get an explanation of why the first HR goal in OT was disallowed, but here is the quote- "Earlier in the 15-minute overtime period, it appeared the Royals had scored the game-winning goal – setting off a short-lived celebration – but it was not allowed by the officials because the ball went off a Holy Redeemer player."  Again- I am no expert, but don't almost all of the goals that HR scores go in off our own player?  I think I see the point here, but it seems poorly worded.  Living with an English teacher makes one a little fanatical about such things.  The paper went on to call the victory "bittersweet" for coach DeFalco- from the looks of the picture on here, it was for more sweet than bitter.

Interesting happenings at the cozy mountain retreat today- halfway through loading the photos up to smugmug, a tree fell in the forest (I was here to hear it) and took out the power/internet connection for the day.  If you visited earlier, you may have only seen about 1/2 of the shots-  they are all up now.

Gallery is here.

FotoFink can be had here.  That sounds wrong.

Enjoy!